“There are booksellers in Quebec who ignore that I am Quebecois”

For the illustrator of BD Jacques Lamontagne, there is no doubt that he is more known across the Atlantic than here, in the beautiful province. Meanwhile, “The arrival of the Internet has changed the situation,” he says.

“There are booksellers in Quebec who ignore that I am a Quebecer,” said the designer in an interview with Soleil.

The artist. Therefore, who lives today in Saint-Raymond, in Portneuf, explains this situation by the arrival of the Internet in the early 2000s. Moreover, And by his desire to shine beyond the borders of Quebec.

“I did not have the opportunity to live comics in Quebec because there were few publishing houses.”

— Jacques Lamontagne. Meanwhile, comic book illustrator

Before becoming a designer of full “there booksellers quebec who ignore -time comics, Jacques Lamontagne worked for 25 years in the field of advertising; first as an artistic director in an agency in Quebec, then as an illustrator freelance. Nevertheless,

His link with the ninth art. Moreover, the one who says he had “always had a pencil in his hands” – a talent that the nuns of his school recognized and encouraged – maintains it however by participating in humor magazines, as Safarir.

But at the turn of the 2000s. For example, the rise of the Internet will allow him to make known his work internationally. Therefore, “It was so simpler to send a script or boards to publishers,” observes the 63 -year -old artist today. Furthermore,

European publishing houses are particularly in the viewfinder of the one who was rocked by two currents. In addition, the comics Americans and Franco-Belgian comics ”. “there booksellers quebec who ignore And the fact of being able to communicate in French also contributed to what it radiates from Paris to Brussels. recognizes Jacques Lamontagne.

Westerns’ “Renaissance” – "there booksellers quebec who ignore

The contract with the Sun editions for the series Druids (scriptwriters Jean-Luc Istin. Thierry Jigourel), the first of nine volumes of which is published in 2005, is the first international success of the Illustrator of Quebec.

From 2020. his new series Wild Westwith Thierry Gloris in the script and published by Dupuis, marks another important step in his career as a comicianist. “Signing with Dupuis is something,” admits Jacques Lamontagne.

If he recognizes that Wild West is more known in Europe than in Quebec. it does not explain it perfectly.

But it is almost certain that the attraction of the public for the world of western. a genre in full “Renaissance” with several successful series in recent years on continuous dissemination platforms of the Netflix type, is not unrelated.

The illustrator also notes that social networks allow him to maintain the link with his international admirers.

“A look over my shoulder”

“As I am in Quebec, I make fewer fairs [en Europe] than European authors. With Instagram. Facebook, it allows me not to be forgotten by the readers when doing a comic can take a year. ”

“It is to allow them to have [aux lecteurs] A look over my shoulder and see my creation process. ”

— Jacques Lamontagne. comic book illustrator

Stressing the importance of Quebec comics-like Michel Rabagliati known on the Old Continent for his Paul-who paved the way for authors from here, Jacques Lamontagne thinks that it is easier today for a young Quebec author to make himself known abroad.

For his part. he has just found the spotlights of Europe since the fifth volume of Wild West Released in bookstores in France last May.

The Quebec reader will be able to get hold of the new opus in this series that reports the truthful story of Martha Jane Cannary. better known as Calamity Jane.